


Summer Camp

by chadleymacguff



Series: Something You Misplaced [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Summer Camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-22
Updated: 2012-09-22
Packaged: 2017-11-14 19:36:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/518790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chadleymacguff/pseuds/chadleymacguff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Chris. He was just as nervous as Peter was. Something, maybe the alcohol, compelled him to place his hand onto his. Peter was actually surprised when he didn’t pull away but rather slipped his fingers into his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Camp

**Author's Note:**

> this chapter takes place between freshman and sophomore year. thanks to Reyne (stereks) for giving me notes on this.

Peter could see that stupid smile on Chris’ face as he closed the distance between them. It wasn’t until he was standing right in front of Chris that he even felt the smile on his face. It must have been involuntary.

“What the hell are you doing here!”

“I decided to surprise you!” He extended both of his arms towards Peter. “Surprise!”

Peter was at a loss for words for once. Chris wiggled his fingers coaxing him to come in for a hug. Peter eventually admitted defeat and pressed their bodies together. There was something different about Chris. Nothing he could tell in his personality but something was different, something he couldn’t put his finger on.

A woman wearing a white t-shirt with Camp Wanapeek across the front and a megaphone stood on a nearby table shouting about how all how they were all separated into cabins and to read the bulletin board behind here to know where to take your stuff.

The boys walked over to the board with the rest of the campers. Turns out they were in neighboring bunks, which for them is the next best thing to being in the same bunk. Chris scooped up his duffle bag and flung it over his shoulder.

“Well come on! Get your bag Petey! Our summer of adventure awaits!”

Peter couldn’t help but think to himself that his enthusiasm was annoying. He approached the concept of being a camp counselor like he did everything else, with a smile and gusto. It was kind of impressive that he maintained that attitude at his age. Peter would never tell him but it was one of the qualities he admired most about him.

He picked up his oversized backpack that he usually used for camping, slipping his arms into the straps.

“Don’t think you’re getting off the hook that easy. I’m still mad at you.”

The two of them walked off towards the cabins where they’d be staying. Neither of them really said anything on the lengthy trek over. Their silence was filled with the crunch of gravel and leaves under their shoes. Peter wanted to say something but he had to keep up the front of being upset.

_Hold your ground Peter. You can’t let him know that you’re actually super relieved that he’s actually here. You have to let him say the first word. But at this pace you’re not going to talk all summer. You know how stubborn he can be._

Peter let out a loud sigh and glanced over at Chris from the corner of his eye. He was walking with a smile on his face. He could hear the light chortling in his throat. Chris must have been fighting back a laugh.

“Ya know,”

_Finally._

“You always try this silent treatment thing and it never works.”

Peter rose in hand in contest.

“Ah ha! That is where you are wrong. It worked just now and it worked when we were six and you knocked over my Lego tower and gave me your apple juice to apologize because I wouldn’t talk to you.”

Chris let out a laugh that seemed to echo for miles.

“How do you even remember these things?”

“I write them down.”

Chris lips pulled into a smile exposing his gleaming white teeth in the sun. Peter couldn’t help but shoot a sheepish smile back in his direction. It was infectious. You can’t just not smile when Chris is around, he just exudes this comfort that made you want to smile. A light breeze blew through the trees detaching some leaves, blowing them into their path. The wind rustled some of Chris’ hair. Peter couldn’t help but notice, he was actually starting to stare. His eyes tracing the fine definition of his face, how his Adam’s apple would bob ever so slightly whenever he would swallow, the length of his eye lashes against his skin as he blinked in almost slow motion to look at him, how shaggy his hair had gotten over the last month or so and how it was a good look for him to not look so together. He was so in thought, Peter didn’t even notice that they were at their cabins.

“See you at mess hall Pete.”

He tossed up a lazy wave goodbye and disappeared into his bunk. Peter stood there for a moment looking at his shoes. He sucked in a deep breath and then exhaled, walking towards the door of his cabin.

_Maybe all this fresh air will do me some good._

\--

They’d been up at camp for about a week and everything was actually going a lot better than Peter would have expected. Usually Chris wasn’t one for work so he was almost absolutely positive that he would have to pick up the slack with his campers. Turns out that he couldn’t have been more wrong, Chris was a natural. Maybe it was all the fresh air or the fact that they had all this freedom up in the woods. Either way things were going pretty well.

Today they were supposed to go hiking. Peter’s campers were more excited than he was. Something about walking in a slower than normal pace and wrangling them in so that none of them got lost wasn’t all that appealing. The only consolation was that he didn’t have to go by himself. Chris was going to be there with his co-counselor Ted, plus his bunkmate/co-counselor Dante. Between the four of them it shouldn’t be too much work really.

Dante was saying something Peter couldn’t make out but honestly he was listening, he was over whelmed by the loud chirping of the birds around them. Their calls back and forth were especially loud. Peter couldn’t figure out why today of all days his focus had to falter.

“Hey! Are you even listening?”

Peter hadn’t gotten a word of what Dante had been saying. The guy really didn’t know when to shut up. He was always gabbing on and on about something and Peter would tune him out, listening for keywords just in case he would ask him a follow up question. Dante was a year older than him but Peter was certain that he only came to camp because he didn’t really have any friends. He could see why, he was an odd character. Sure he wasn’t the most interesting or the best looking but he couldn’t help but think that if Dante knew when to shut his mouth he’d have more friends.

“Yeah, Yeah.” He nodded.

Chris was a few steps ahead of them talking to Ted. He looked back a number of times, Peter assumed it was to make sure he hadn’t killed Dante and thrown him somewhere in the woods. He had to admit that he’d considered it, especially right now. Dante was going on about something science related, something about the size of the sun and how space particles discharged from it have an effect on the Earth’s outer layers or some crap. Lucky for him, one of the campers came to ask them something and finally gave him an excuse to catch up to Chris and Ted.

Chris and Ted were talking about doing a campfire after the rest of the camper went to bed. Peter was caught off guard when he volunteered the two of them to go looking for firewood but in all honesty he was a bit relieved he didn’t ask Ted to go. The two of them hadn’t spent more than five minutes together since they’d gotten to camp, too busy with planning things to do and running themselves ragged to get everything in during the day. This campfire was going to be an opportunity to relax. Dante must have overhead them talking because next thing he knew he was inviting himself along.

\--

The rest of the day really just flew by. Bringing the campers back, getting them in and out of the cafeteria, getting them all to go to sleep on time. It was all just a blur.

Peter was changing clothes when he heard the light knock on their cabin door. It was Chris, he’d come by early so that they could go collect logs or whatever scraps of fire wood they could find. Peter still didn’t know why he even suggested them to go. The camp actually had wood behind the head counselor’s cabin. Chris knew that.

“Ready to go Pete?”

“Yeah.” He nodded.

He was lucky enough for Dante to have fallen asleep with the rest of the campers. Peter could hear his snoring as he gently closed the door behind him.

“What about Dante?”

“Don’t worry about him.”

Peter pushed him forward away from the door, hopefully keeping him from asking anymore questions. They walked through the woods for about twenty minutes with nothing but sound of knocking wood to fill their silence. Peter was a bit agitated that their relationship had come to this point where they were in perpetual awkward silence.

“You enjoying camp so far?”

It was a pretty straight forward question but Peter was stammering to find the right words. Truth was that we was having fun but that level of fun was pretty limited when you can’t hang out with your best friend all summer. What was the point of them being in the same place if they were just going their separate ways?

“Uh, yeah. It’s been pretty good.”

_Really Peter? Really?_

His throat was getting dry. Making conversation was proving to be more of a hassle than just letting the silence fester between the two of them. Luckily he was saved by Ted and a couple of other counselors from the other bunks. They ended up about thirty feet away from where Peter and Chris were looking. It was a wonder that they actually missed it. There were large logs carved into the shape of seats around a pit encircled in rocks.

The fire flicked speckles of red and yellow on all of the faces surround the flames. He wasn’t sure when they started playing truth or dare. It was all sort of a blur really. Someone suggested it and a few shots of vodka later everyone was sitting around in their underwear. Peter always answered dare. No dare that any of them could come up with could be worse than any truth he’d have to admit. That was until his sixth shot when Ted dared him to go skinny dipping. Peter was all for it until Chris volunteered to go with him.

\--

Peter stood on the dock staring into the water. It didn’t look cold. He wouldn’t mind if it was really. It was a hot night and the water would be incredibly refreshing and it wasn’t like he could back out of the dare now. Not with Chris there waiting to jump in with him. Chris had no hesitation taking off his underwear and flinging them onto the dock. Peter tried his hardest to avert his gaze. It was already awkward enough. He didn’t make it more so by staring at Chris’ junk.

“Come on Petey don’t be nervous. We’ve known each other for forever.” A smile crossed his face. “It’s only fair seeing as you’ve already seen mine.”

He could feel the blood rushing to his head and his heart beating in his ears. Peter was blushing and he didn’t know why. He didn’t even think of Chris in that way. Did he? Everything was kind of confusing. Sorting out how whether or not Peter liked Chris more than a friend was too much to try figure out right now, especially after as much alcohol they’d ingested. Maybe it was the vodka that was making him red. If Chris noticed that was going to be his excuse.

Chris sat down on the edge of the dock, his bare ass pressed against the damp wood.

“Well if you’re not going to take off your underwear you could at least sit down here with me so we can talk.”

He grabbed his elbow nervously before walking over to take a seat. There was a breeze coming off the water. Peter closed his eyes letting it wash over him, his toes dipping into the water. When he opened his eyes Chris was staring intently at something on his face.

“What?! Do I have something on my face?”

He brushed his hand over his face trying to flick something off that he wasn’t entirely certain was there.

“No. I was just…nothing.”

His eyes drifted back to the water. Chris kicked gently making ripples against the post of the dock. Again Peter and Chris sat alone in silence only this time Peter could hear his heart beating. It was faster than usual.

_Wait, that isn’t my heartbeat._

It was Chris. He was just as nervous as Peter was. Something, maybe the alcohol, compelled him to place his hand onto his. Peter was actually surprised when he didn’t pull away but rather slipped his fingers into his. Chris was still looking down into the water but Peter could see a smile reflected in the water. Peter tried to open his mouth to say something when Ted and the others called out to them from the trees, they must’ve remembered they were out there. They were all heading back to camp. Sometime between them calling over and disappearing back into the trees, Chris had pulled his hand away and pulled back on his clothes.

“You coming?”

Peter looked at his reflection for a moment before responding.

“I’ll just meet you back at camp.”

Chris ruffled his hair before walking the length of the dock back to camp. Peter shoved off of the dock, sinking into the chilled water. He held his breath, watching the bubbles float above his head. Peter’s head breached the surface gasping for air. His hands combed through his hair, treading water to stay afloat. He let out a deep sigh reclining his head back to look up at the night sky. Peter let his body float to the surface and let his mind wander.

Why was he so nervous around Chris all of a sudden? Was he just really awkward in social situations or was it something else entirely?

_No. It can’t possibly be that, could it? Fuck._

_\--_

Three weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. The counselors met a number of times since that night to tell stories, drink and other stupid things that teenagers do during the summer. Chris had even come by to get Peter a few times in between to go night swimming or hiking. Peter tried to avoid the holding hands conversation at all costs. It wasn’t a conversation he was ready to have. Having that conversation was admittance to there being something more than friendship between the two of them. Even if there was something more there still was a chance that Chris didn’t see it that way. Sometimes Peter really wished he could pick up on the more subtle things that his abilities missed. Sure he could hear that Chris’ heart was beating faster around him but it could be any number of things. He could even smell something different on him but he wasn’t sure what it was. It would be better if he could read his mind, at least then he could know what he was thinking. To know if he was thinking about him the way that Peter had been thinking about him lately.

It was the last day of camp and every year they did a huge bonfire. They’d sit around and tell ghost stories. It was really just a bore for all of the counselors. Nobody really wanted to be there but unfortunately this event was mandatory.

After the fire, all of the counselors were left to cleanup. Peter and Chris were assigned the task of putting away the supplies back in the supply closet. It was spacious with balls and craft supplies lining the walls. Chris made some joke about blue balls and they laughed for a good five minutes. Peter was pulling in one of the canoes from the docks when he tripped over a pile of rope by the door. Chris rushed over to give him a hand.

“You’re such a klutz.” He laughed, helping him to his feet.

“Yeah I know. You’d think I’d have better coordination by now.”

Peter brushed some of the grass off of his shirt, trying to salvage some of his dignity by adding in a laugh or two. That’s when he felt Chris’ palm on his chest, followed by the sting of being shoved into concrete wall behind him.

“What are you—“

He was silenced by the pressing of their lips. Peter’s eyes fluttered closed, his hands hesitating to draw up and find a place on Chris’ firm chest. Their kiss lasted longer than he could’ve imagined but it was cut short by the crunching footsteps of someone approaching. Chris pulled back looking into Peter’s eyes before bolting out of the door.

Peter touched his lips with his fingers, unable to fathom the fact that the kiss had even occurred. Just then Dante walked in with a bucket of diving rings they use for swimming lessons.

“Where’s Chris off to in a hurry?”

Peter simply shrugged, taking the bucket from him to store against the wall with all of the other supplies.

That night he lay in bed thinking about the kiss.

_It was something. Really something._

He wanted to go over to Chris’ cabin and kiss him again. He wanted to do more than just kiss him. But with all of these pleasant thoughts, Peter was left with burning questions. What did all of this mean? Why did Chris run away? Why didn’t he try and find him later after all of the campers were in their bunks? It wasn’t like Chris didn’t want to do it. He could smell it, feel it in the way that he pressed into him.

Suddenly he wasn’t feeling so great about what had happened. Call it an instinct. Peter had a lot of them. Something about being a wolf gave him excellent instincts about things. Needless to say that Peter was right. The next morning when everyone was boarding the buses, Chris was nowhere in sight. Even after they’d arrived back in Beacon Hills he couldn’t find him. Peter could easily find Chris if he wanted to but the fact that he couldn’t find him as a human meant that he didn’t want to be found.

Chris was avoiding him.


End file.
